The term presbeia (πρεσβεία, Greek for "prerogatives," "seniority," or "privileges") refers to the position of certain bishops with regard to others, whether purely in honor or in terms of authority. It may also refer to the seniority of order among clergy in general, ascertained by some combination of rank, title or elevation (clergy award), and date of ordination.

Canonical literature distinguishes between two forms of honor for bishops, the presbeia timis (πρεσβεία τιμίς, "prerogatives of honor") and the akolouthia timis (ακολουθία τιμίς, "service of honor"). The first term, presbeia timis, refers to authoritative prerogatives, such as the right to ordain bishops in a certain region. The latter, akolouthia timis, refers to purely honorific status. For instance, at one point in the history of the Church in Palestine, the Patriarch of Jerusalem had the akolouthia timis because of his position as the bishop of the Holy City of Jerusalem, but the nearby Metropolitan of Caesarea held the presbeia timis, having the right to ordain bishops in Palestine.

The traditional phrase, primus inter pares ("first among equals") is an example of timis which is both presbeia and akolouthia in that it gives its holder a position more honored than all other Orthodox bishops, but also it has traditionally been associated with the right to preside at Ecumenical Councils. It may further include other sorts of prerogatives, depending on canonical interpretation.

Presbeia in the Liturgy

Churches following the Greek and Russian traditions have two different ways of determining presbeia at the altar.

In Greek (and Antiochian) practice, presbeia is reckoned in the following order:

Hierarchs, grouped by title/elevation, and then refined by year of ordination

Monastic priests, grouped by title/elevation and then refined by year of ordination

Non-monastic priests, grouped by title/elevation and then refined by year of ordination

Monastic deacons, grouped by title/elevation and then refined by year of ordination

Non-monastic deacons, grouped by title/elevation and then refined by year of ordination.

In Russian practice, presbeia is reckoned in the following order:

Hierarchs, grouped by title/elevation, and then refined by year of ordination

Priests, grouped by title/elevation, with monastic priests preceding non-monastic priests of the same title/elevation, and then refined by year of ordination

Deacons, grouped by title/elevation, with monastic deacons preceding non-monastic deacons of the same title/elevation, and then refined by year of ordination.

In liturgies where clergy of both traditions are serving, the rules of the host parish should be observed. There is not a universal practice for blending the two schemes of titles/elevations for services that include clerics of both traditions. However, the following is one common way of doing so: